Dublin, 6th worst for congestion in Europe

spuddy

Per TomTom's 2019 Ranking of the most congested cities in Europe (Overall daily congestion level – extra travel time – population over 800,000):

1. Moscow, Russia
2. Istanbul, Turkey
3. Kyiv, Ukraine
4. Bucharest, Romania
5. Saint Petersburg, Russia
6. Dublin, Ireland
7. Odessa, Ukraine
8. Novosibirsk, Russia
9. Samara, Russia
10. Kharkiv, Ukraine

TomTom's website has very easy to use filter, comparing us to other European countries with similar income levels, guess where Dublin comes in that list?

There are both productivity losses as a result of this, as well as quality of life issues, for Dublin's inhabitants, it's a real shame this type of information isn't more prevalent in debates about investment in infrastructure here.

StreetLight

Dublin is the only Western European capital in that top ten list. That should be highly embarrassing and a damning indictment of the so-called 'experts' and meddling politicians who just don't seem to give a hoot.

tdf7187

I'm honestly surprised there are 5 places worse than us.

Eric Cartman

Ive driven in 3 places on that list, the problem with dublin is a road diet program brought in by shane ross to intentionally make congestion worse and a lack of high density housing for working people in the city.

The problems in the likes of bucharest and kyiv are police directing traffic (not lights) , a 'might is right' traffic system, random parking almost anywhere turning 4 lanes into 2 at times and sheer traffic volume. Kyiv is a city of 2.8 million people and another 4 million show up every day for work.

Idbatterim

"them up theres in Dublin, get everything"... no new rail track other than the Luas, laid in decades I believe. The same luas now, that isnt even fit for purpose! I thought the experts said, it would be a "white elephant" any of the "experts" going to claim the same for the metro line now? LOL! LOL!

Zebra3

Even though Kiev is up there, it's a much more livable city at the weekend.

Khreshchatyk street, one of those fantastic 1950 Soviet boulevards, is closed to traffic from Friday evening to Monday morning, and becomes a public space for performers, political demonstrations, etc, a great place to spend time.

Eric Cartman

Zebra3 wrote: »

Even though Kiev is up there, it's a much more livable city at the weekend.

Khreshchatyk street, one of those fantastic 1950 Soviet boulevards, is closed to traffic from Friday evening to Monday morning, and becomes a public space for performers, political demonstrations, etc, a great place to spend time.

I have to say I didnt feel like the traffic was any worse than dublin even at midweek rush hour either.

john boye

We're certainly in esteemed company on that list.

VG31

Novosibirsk definitely isn't in Europe.

I'm not surprised Edinburgh is the second worst in Western Europe, it's traffic reminds me a lot of Dublin (even with the tram works).

spuddy

StreetLight wrote: »

Dublin is the only Western European capital in that top ten list. That should be highly embarrassing and a damning indictment of the so-called 'experts' and meddling politicians who just don't seem to give a hoot.

It's a self-fulfilling prophecy. Politicians, along with big swathes of the electorate, have never experienced good quality, reliable, inexpensive public transport in living memory. As a result, they don't invest in capital infrastructure projects, and the car remains the only viable option for most people. Couple it with poor planning away from transport links, and low density housing, and you get Dublin.

To add a note of optimism, if they ever do build the metro, and people experience getting from Swords to O'Connell Street in 25 mins, and onto Sandyford in another 25, it'll ultimately drive demand for further lines, which may one day get us the transport system the facts show that Dublin so badly needs today.

Peregrine

Eric Cartman wrote: »

the problem with dublin is a road diet program brought in by shane ross to intentionally make congestion worse

Firstly, Shane Ross didn't care about transport and wasn't bothered enough to bring in any such program so leave the conspiracy theories out.

Secondly, you're showing a fundamental misunderstanding of how traffic works. We need a road diet and more public transport and cycling infrastructure to reduce congestion. We need traffic evaporation.

Eric Cartman

spuddy wrote: »

It's a self-fulfilling prophecy. Politicians, along with big swathes of the electorate, have never experienced good quality, reliable, inexpensive public transport in living memory. As a result, they don't invest in capital infrastructure projects, and the car remains the only viable option for most people. Couple it with poor planning away from transport links, and low density housing, and you get Dublin.

To add a note of optimism, if they ever do build the metro, and people experience getting from Swords to O'Connell Street in 25 mins, and onto Sandyford in another 25, it'll ultimately drive demand for further lines, which may one day get us the transport system the prove Dublin so badly needs today.

people said that about the luas though and the red line has just become a giant billboard for 'all public transport is terrible' Metro will only succeed with robust security, a reliable frequent timetable and keeping CIE bullyboy union rules out.

Idbatterim

Eric Cartman wrote: »

people said that about the luas though and the red line has just become a giant billboard for 'all public transport is terrible' Metro will only succeed with robust security, a reliable frequent timetable and keeping CIE bullyboy union rules out.

the current plans are for dublinmetro to be driverless! thats a bloody good start. they need total segregation too!

Zebra3

Eric Cartman wrote: »

people said that about the luas though and the red line has just become a giant billboard for 'all public transport is terrible' Metro will only succeed with robust security, a reliable frequent timetable and keeping CIE bullyboy union rules out.

And yet the red Luas line is rammed it would seem.

Seth Brundle

Zebra3 wrote: »

And yet the red Luas line is rammed it would seem.

They'll be even more rammed in there because cars keep crashing into them (the Luas really should be wearing High-viz :rolleyes:)

https://twitter.com/DublinCommuters/status/1222803671148351488